Controller for stop motions



Feb. 1, 1955 J. WACHSMAN 2,700,881

CONTROLLER FOR STOP MOTIONS Filed July 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 63 rm/5 Wr/mm Feb. 1, 1955 J. WACHSMAN 2,700,881

CONTROLLER FOR STOP MOTIONS Filed July 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent CONTROLLER FOR STOP MOTIONS Jacob Wachsman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 22, 1953, Serial No. 369,628

Claims. (Cl. 66163) This invention relates to controllers for stop motions for knitting machines of the type disclosed in the U. S. Patent 2,368,184, January 30, 1945, in which the electromagnet is energized only when a stop motion switch is closed so that the magnet may attract its armature to trip the mechanism which operates to control a knitting or other machine. Such types of controllers contain no means for protecting the knitting machine in the event of main current failure.

The main object of this invention is therefore to provide an electric stop motion controller which, in addition to the known means of operation of a stop motion device, will also function upon failure of the main current supply to the machine.

Another object of the invention is to include such improvements in a controller of known type without requiring elaborate or complicated mechanism to accomplish the desired result. Other objects will appear as this specification proceeds.

The invention is disclosed in two types of such stop motion controllers. The first type is arranged to operate with additional means which will open the main electric circuit to the machine when the stop motion device is actuated. The controller in this type has no electric current passing through its electromagnet. The second type operates in the known manner but includes means whereby the electromagnet is energized at all times while the machine is operating.

Accordingly, the invention is embodied in two types of stop motion controllers which are characterized by containing almost the same form of trip mechanism, whereas the magnet remains de-energized in the first type and remains energized in the second type. In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of a stop motion controller embodying the invention in its first form. Parts are broken away and the controller is shown in its loaded position which is when the knitting or other machine is running.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram applied to Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but illustrates a controller of the second type in which the electromagnet is energized while the knitting or other machine is operating.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram applied to the controller shown in Figs. 4-7.

The following description of the mechanical means used in both types of controllers applies to both of them. Similar parts are identified by the same reference numbers.

The controller is contained within a box 10 which is mounted upon the knitting machine with the plunger 11 in position to engage the machine stop member 12, Fig. 3. The box has a cover 13 and a bottom 14. The electromagnet 15, Fig. 3, is suitably supported in the box and one end of the magnet wiring is connected to a fixed terminal 16 for attaching a wire from the stop motion battery 17, Fig. 3. The other end of the magnet wiring is connected to a spring contact 18 for grounding the magnet circuit.

The plunger 11 is slidably mounted in the ends of the box 10 and carries a block 19 secured by a screw 20. A guiding shaft 21 is secured in the ends of the box and passes through the block 19 as an additional Patented Feb. 1, 1955 guide therefor. The block is adapted to engage the spring contact 18 when the controller is put into loaded position as shown. The block 19 carries a rod 23 which ends in a finger 24 adapted to enter a notch 25 in the stop lever 26. The latter is pivoted at 27 in a slot in one end of the box. The free end of the stop lever 26 rests upon a stop 28 which is part of the magnet armature 29. The latter is pivoted upon a shaft 30 and is held away from the magnet by the armature spring 32.

When the armature 29 is attracted by the magnet, the stop 28 moves away from under the free end of the stop lever and the latter is free to fall into the position shown dotted in Fig. 2. The stop lever thus no longer restrains the rod 23, the block 19 and the plunger 11 from moving into unloading position.

The block 19 carries on its bottom a bracket 35 which in turn supports an insulating plate 36 to which is attached an upper contact spring 37 and a lower contact spring 38. The contact springs are thus insulated from each other and from the controller. The box 10 supports at one end a pair of upper binding posts 40 and a pair of lower binding posts 42. The posts are insulated from each other and from the box by suitable insulation 44. The binding posts are staggered as seen in Fig. l for convenience in attaching wires thereto.

Wires 45 from the driving motor 46, Fig. 3, are connected to the posts 40 and 42, respectively, on the one side of the box and the line wires 48 are connected to the posts 40 and 42, respectively, on the other side of the box as shown in the diagram.

When the machine is running, the normal loaded positions of the parts are as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The plunger 11 is pushed by the operator into the loaded position. As the block 19 is thus moved, the finger 24 moves over the stop lever 26 and finally drops into the notch 25 thereby lifting the stop lever into a final upper position so that the armature stop 28 under pressure of the spring 32 can move in under the free end of the stop lever and thereby maintain the notch 25 in engagement with the finger 24 to prevent the rod from moving into unloaded position and at the same time of course preventing the block 19 and its associated parts from moving from loaded to unloaded position until the armature stop is Withdrawn from the stop lever which occurs when the magnet is energized.

A spring 50 acting against the lower edge of the stop lever insures constant operative contact between the lever and the stop finger 24. The spring support is cut out as at 52 to provide a slot for the vertical movement of the stop lever. The plunger 11 carries a spring 53 which constantly urges the plunger from loaded into unloaded position as will be understood.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of a known type of stop motion applied to the controller in Fig. 1. In the diagram the said stop member 12 is actuated to stop the knitting machine in a known manner. The stop motion mechanism is in the form of a switch in which a movable contact 60 is supported by the travelling thread 61 supported by guides 62. When the thread breaks or runs out the contact 60 drops and engages a fixed contact 63 to close the circuit. The movable contact 60 is connected to the battery 17, the magnet 15 and the ground contact spring 18.

When the thread fails to keep the switch 6l)63 open. the magnet will be energized and attract the armature 29. This will release the stop lever 26 and the spring 55 will then move the block into unloaded position. the finger 24 sliding out of the notch 25. The stop lever will fall down. At the same time, the spring contacts 37 and 33 will be moved away from the binding posts 40, 42 and the main circuit to the motor will open and the machine will stop. Not only will the knitting machine stop because of the operation of the stop motion itself, but the current will be cut off from the motor. The operator will then attend to the machine to remove the cause of stoppage and thereafter reset the controller by pushing the plunger into loaded position whereby the circuits will be restored to normal operating conditions and the machine will start up again.

The armature stop 28 may also be moved out from under the stop lever by a pin 70 adapted to be moved inwardly by a lever 71 mounted upon the controller in a suitable operative position. The lever 71 is connected as at 72 with the take-up mechanism of the knitting machine identified by the fabric guiding rolls 73 which guide the fabric 74 as it comes from the knitting mechanism, not shown. If for any reason the take-up device should fall down, the lever 71 will be pulled down and hit the pin 70 and thereby move the armature stop from under the stop lever and the controller will operate to stop the machine.

The controller illustrated in Figs. 47 contains nearly all the same parts as the type illustrated in Figs. 1-3 and similar parts bear the same reference numerals. The second controller includes an arrangement in which an electric circuit is closed through the electromagnet while the controller is in loaded position. As shown in the drawings, the controller in Figs. 4 and has a main magnet 80 and a smaller magnet 81. The magnets are mounted in the box by any suitable means such as a bracket 82 to which the magnet 80 is secured by a screw 83. The frame 84 of the magnet forms a limit stop 85 for the outward movement of the armature 86 which is pivoted on the frame 84 by suitable lugs as at 87. The free end of the armature forms a stop 102, Fig. 4. A spring 88 tends to move the armature 86 away from the magnet 80. When the controller is put into loaded position the magnet 80 is energized and attracts the armature 86. The stop 102 of the latter then moves in under the free end of the stop lever 26 and keeps the latter in engagement with the rod 23 via the finger 24 and notch 25.

A smaller magnet 81 is also mounted on the bracket 82. It has an armature 89 pivoted at 90 on a frame 91. A spring 92 tends to keep the armature away from the magnet and in contact with a connector 93 supported on an insulating base 94. When the magnet 81 is en7ergized it attracts the armature 89 as shown in Fig.

Referring now to the wiring diagram in Fig. 8 the main current is supplied from the line through a transformer 95 which has one side connected to the terminal 16 and the ground contact 18. The other side is connected to the terminal post 96 from which one wire 97 leads to the magnet 80 and another wire 98 leads to the other magnet 81. From the latter a wire 99 leads to the terminal post 100 which in turn is connected to a knitting machine stop motion device identified by the switch 60-63 as in Fig. 3. A wire 101 connects the main magnet 80 with the connector 93.

When the controller is put into loaded position, the

magnet 81 remains de-energized because its circuit is open at 6063. The main magnet 80, however, is energized because its circuit from the transformer is closed at 8993, the armature 89 being moved to engage the connector 93 by the spring 92.

If new the stop motion switch 60-63 is closed by failure of the thread, or for some other reason, current will pass through the small magnet 81 via the transformer and ground, and the armature 89 will be attracted to open the circuit through the large magnet as shown in Fig. 8. The armature spring 88 will then withdraw the armature 86 with its stop 102 from out under the stop lever and the spring 55 will then move the controller into stop position. The motor will of course also be stopped because the connections at the binding posts 40 and 42 will be open. If for any reason the main line current supply should fail, the main magnet 80 will be de-energized and in that event, the spring 88 will withdraw the armature stop 102 from the stop lever 26 and the controller will be moved into stop position. Except as indicated in the drawings the wire connections are shown only in the diagrams.

The rod 23, finger 24 and stop lever 26 constitute releasable holding means for holding the controller in loaded position. These holding means, in turn, are locked in their holding positions by the armature stops 28 or 102, respectively. When the armatures 29 or 86, respectively, are moved on their pivots with relation to their magnets or 80, respectively, the said holding means 26, 24, 23 are released and the spring 55 then moves the controller into unloading position.

Both the diagrams in Figs. 3 and 8 show that when the stop motion device is actuated by failure of the thread, the controller will be operated and the motor circuit will also be opened. Fig. 8 includes that when the motor circuit fails, the controller will move into stop position.

The disclosed controllers are extremely simple in construction and easy to assemble. The mechanical parts are almost all on the one side of the controller box with the motor connections at one end thereof. The binding posts for wire connections are conveniently carried by an insulating strip 103.

I claim:

1. In an electric controller stop motion for knitting machines, a plunger for connection with the stop mechanism of the knitting machine, a spring urging said plunger from a normal control position into a stop position to actuate the said stop mechanism to stop the knitting machine, releasable holding means for restraining said plunger from moving into its stop position and including a releasable stop lever, a pivoted electromagnet armature movable from a holding to a releasing position and in its holding position holding said stop lever and in its releasing position freeing said stop lever for releasing said holding means, an electric circuit with a normally open switch controlled by a travelling thread, an electromagnet in said circuit for moving said armature from its holding to its releasing position when the said switch is no longer under the control of the travelling thread, a motor for driving the knitting machine, a pluralitv of binding posts in the motor circuit for connecting the wires therein and switch means carried by the said plunger for electrically connecting said binding posts to close the said motor circuit when said plunger is moved into its said normal control position and for opening said motor circuit when the plunger is moved by said spring into its said stop position.

2. An electric controller stop motion according to claim 1 including a box for slidably supporting the said plunger, means for supporting said motor circuit binding posts in said box insulated therefrom and from one another, a bracket carried by the plunger, two separate insulated switch spring contacts on said bracket for engagement with the said binding posts and disengagement therefrom as the plunger is moved into either one of its said positions, respectively.

3. In an electric controller stop motion for knitting machines, a plunger for connection with the stop mechanism of the knitting machine, a spring urging said plunger from a normal control position into a stop position to actuate said stop mechanism to stop the machine, releasable holding means for restraining said plunger from moving into its stop position, and including a releasable stop lever, a pivoted locking member for locking said stop lever in releasable holding position and movable from a locking position to a stop lever releasing position to free said stop lever for releasing said holding means, an electric circuit with a normally open switch controlled by a travelling thread, means in said circuit for moving said pivoted locking member from its said locking position into its stop lever releasing position, a motor for driving said knitting machine, binding posts in the motor circuit for connecting the wires therein and switch means carried by said plunger for electrically connecting said binding posts to close the motor circuit when the plunger is moved into a normal control position and for opening the motor circuit when the plunger is moved into its stop position.

4. In an electric controller stop motion for knitting machines, a plunger for connection with the stop mechanism of the knitting machine, a spring urging said plunger from a normal control position into a stop position to actuate said stop mechanism to stop the machine, releasable holding means for restraining said plunger from moving into its stop position and including a releasable stop lever, 21 pivoted member movable into a holding position holding said releasable holding means in plunger restraining position and movable into a releasing position to free said stop lever for releasing said releasable holding means, an electric circuit with a normally open switch under the control of a travelling thread, a device in said electric circuit for causing said pivoted member to move into its said releasing position when said switch is no longer under the control of the travelling thread, a motor for driving said knitting machine, a plurality of binding posts in the motor circuit, and switch means carried by said plunger for electrically connecting said binding posts to close the motor circuit when the plunger is moved into its control position and for opening the motor circuit when the plunger is moved into its stop position.

5. In an electric controller stop motion for knitting machines, a box, a plunger slidably supported therein for connection with the stop mechanism of the knitting machine, a motor for driving the machine, an electric circuit for said motor, binding posts in said motor circuit supported in the said box, means for attaching wires for the motor circuit to said binding posts, a pair of spring contacts supported on the said plunger for engagement with said binding posts to close the motor circuit when said plunger is moved manually into a normal control position, a spring urging said plunger into a stop position to actuate said stop mechanism and disengaging said pair of spring contacts from said binding posts to open the motor circuit, releasable holding means restraining said plunger from moving into its stop position and including a releasable stop lever and means carried by said plunger engaging the stop lever to hold the latter in releasable holding position, a pivoted electromagnet armature in said box engaging said stop lever to hold the same in its releasable holding position, a first electric circuit, an electromagnet therein for holdmg said armature in engagement with said stop lever, a second electric circuit with a normally open switch controlled by a travelling thread and electrically connected to said first circuit and means in said second electric circuit for electrically disconnecting the said two circuits when said switch is no longer controlled by the travelling thread and for opening the first electric circuit to deenergize the said electromagnet therein and release the said armature and a spring for moving the armature out of engagement with said stop lever to release the latter and the said releasable holding means when the plunger is moved into its stop position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,285,237 Vossen June 2, 1942 2,368,184 Wachsman Jan. 30, 1945 2,669,105 Wachsman et a1. Feb. 16, 1954 

